I have to admit, I was surprised when I heard that GRAW 2 was already done,
less than a year after the original game. However, based on my appreciation for
the first game, I was more than happy to pick up the sequel. And I'm happy I
did! Don't let the early release dissuade you from checking out the quality of
this game. The end result is more than solid.
To say GRAW 2 has good graphics is an understatement. The new lighting system
is impressive, and the overall look of the game is much sharper than before.
There is some fantastic scenery in the game, and sometimes you will find
yourself enthralled by the little graphical bells and whistles here and there,
such as the live TV broadcasts that take place in your Humvee or Black Hawk
Helicopter. The textures, wind effects and explosions all have been upgraded,
and they look phenomenal.
Sound is also very good in the game. Not only do your guns sound and look
realistic, but your A.I. squad buddies now speak up a lot more. And most of the
time, they actually have useful information to report, such as pointing out the
bad guys standing next to the truck across the street. These subtle additions
really boost the credibility of the game's atmosphere, and pull you into the
action.
There are some new additions to GRAW 2, primarily the new "MULE" ground
resupply car and the use of a medic. While the MULE is cool the first time you
see it, it really doesn't add anything to the core gameplay of the game. It
serves the same purpose as the resupply truck from the last game, except that
it can follow you around. It would have been much more interesting if the MULE
actually had turrets or some other offensive capabilities. While the MULE is a
mixed addition to the game, medics are quite useful, even though they decrease
the game's difficultly substantially in comparison to the first GRAW.
The Cross-com system has also been updated, and the changes are mostly for the
better. Now you can look through your A.I. buddies helmut camera to see what
he's seeing. This adds to your overall grasp of the battlefield and improves
your situational awareness, as you would expect it to do. The use of overhead
drones is also much improved. You can now get a real-time satellite view of the
battlefield, which is much more fun and interesting to use than those in the
first game. It's too bad; however, that the game doesn't develop other uses for
the drones. It would have been great to have the option of using predator
drones capable of firing Hellfire missiles as well. Maybe that'll be added to
the next sequel.
In terms of level design, there are some truly great missions in the game. You
will distinctly remember your favorites, such as a night-time Black Hawk raid
on a Mexican army base in the middle of a rainstorm. The environmental and
lighting effects will "wow" you. Unfortunately, it's a shorter game than its
predecessor, and it feels like it's over sooner than you think.
But then there's the multiplayer, and thankfully, the online options provide an
impressive amount of replay value. There are many customizeable game types this
time around, and to the designer's credit, the graphics look just as good in
multiplayer as they do in single player, which is quite an accomplishment.
I'll go ahead and say it: if you liked GRAW, go ahead and buy GRAW 2, you won't
be disappointed.